Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact of (a) Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and (b) the redirection of ships around the Cape of Good Hope on UK trade.

The UK is committed to ensuring the safety of shipping in the Red Sea and protecting international trade routes, as shown by our support for Operation Prosperity Guardian.

The Department (alongside other government departments who are leading the overall response to the Red Sea crisis) is closely monitoring the situation, working with key stakeholders and businesses to identify and mitigate supply chain issues. On 17 January the Department published the UK’s first ever Critical Import and Supply Chains Strategy. This will help UK businesses, working in partnership with Government, build secure and reliable supply chains vital to the UK economy, national security, and the delivery of essential services.